Aetherian(Part 1): A War Begins

Valeria

 In a few hours, Val would be twenty years old, and it would be ten years since Harland was poisoned. The realization brought tears to her eyes, but she needed to stay strong for tonight. After much counsel from Caira Vestarr, Torinn Bloodbane, and the Omura brothers, she considered politely asking Alessia's Prime Minister for permission to leave the country with her army. They would meet on the grasslands in the center of the country at midnight to discuss their terms. Caira and Torinn accompanied Valeria, but she began to sense a feeling of doubt from her two protectors when an hour passed with no word from the Prime Minister.

"He should be here by now," Val complained.

"Satoru and Michio were this late, too, remember?" Caira reminded. "We should give him another hour, Your Grace." Valeria took her advice, waiting another hour in the dark grasslands, but no one came. It was either a spit in the face, or the Prime Minister wanted to make it clear that no one left Alessia without his leave, and Val would never get his leave.

"I suppose the Omura brothers were right," she said. "I want our forces mobilized by sunrise."

"Where are we going, Your Grace?" Torinn asked, in Draconic.

"We can't just leave ourselves exposed," said Valeria, as they began to walk back towards the camp. "We need either natural fortifications or to take a city and call it our base of operations."

"Sounds reasonable," agreed Caira. "Since the Prime Minister seems to have no intention of resolving this peacefully."

"He's arrogant," said Torinn. "That will be his undoing." Alessia was a rather large country, with savannas, grasslands, prairies, plains, meadows, and deserts. It was mostly flat land, and the few mountain ranges there didn't have a lot of mountains. Val's army would have to take a city, or multiple cities, in order to establish a foothold on Alessia. In their camp, Valeria, Caira, the Omura brothers, Torinn, and four other Draconian Generals she trusted discussed their strategy. Patrin Peaceblade, Urogar Flamebrow, Medrash Drakerider, and Djemidor Redmark were the leaders of twenty thousand Draconian soldiers each.

"We need to take a city and establish a base if we're to have any chance of fighting our way out of this country," Caira Vestarr stated, speaking Draconic to the Generals. "There are five major cities in the northernmost region of the country. Goldstone, Serathor, Kalas, Jingas, and Meridian. If we can take those cities and hold them, then we'll already have half of the entire country. All of you will take fifteen thousand light Draconian infantry, and five thousand heavies, along with twenty thousand of the Brotherhood. Patrin, you will assault Goldstone, Urogar, you will attack Serathor, Medrash, you will deploy to Kalas, Djemidor, you will besiege Jingas, and Torinn will lead the rest of us to Meridian." It was a solid plan, and a good one to invite a war to Alessia with.

"We move out at sunrise, Generals. No doubt the Counts of each of these cities will put up heavy resistance, but fight as hard as you can to bring them to heel," said Val. "Good luck to all of you." It would be five hours before the sun came up, though, which would hopefully give the entire army enough time to fully mobilize. The Draconian Generals and the Omura brothers went to ready their forces, but Valeria lingered behind with Caira.

"We're really starting this, aren't we?" said Val.

"Yes, we are," Caira answered. "But don't worry for the Draconians. They are unmatched as warriors."

"It's the Brotherhood I'm worried about," Val corrected. "They're not exactly ideal for soldiers."

"Well, remember, Your Grace," assured Caira. "You're blessed with what few individuals possess. Youth, for one thing. You have the blood of a Guardian, and a King, and you bring hope to the ones that follow you. They'll do anything to see you on the Dragon Throne, and so will I." Valeria didn't doubt for a second that Caira would fight to the end for her, but she wasn't the only thing she was fighting for.